Temba Bavuma replaces Dean Elgar as South Africa Test skipper

Capetown (South Africa), February 17

Cricket South Africa (CSA) named Temba Bavuma as Test captain as part of a restructuring in the leadership group of the national team ahead of the Test series against West Indies on Friday.

Bavuma already is the captain of the national side for the ODI format and will take over the reins of the red-ball team from Dean Elgar. However, the 32-year-old has relinquished the T20I captaincy.

Elgar will remain available to play for the Proteas in the red-ball format.

The new skipper for the South Africa T20I side will be named as part of the white-ball squad to face the West Indies next month.

Bavuma’s first task will be to lead the Proteas in the two-match Test series against the West Indies all set to begin on February 28.

South Africa Director of Cricket (DoC) Enoch Nkwe welcomed Bavuma in the role of South Africa Test captaincy.

“Cricket South Africa would like to welcome Temba as the new captain of the Proteas Men’s national team,” Nkwe said as read in a statement released by ICC.

“He is a player that has vast captaincy experience both at the domestic level and on the international stage having led both the ODI and T20I teams since March 2021 when he was appointed. We trust he will deliver on all our expectations and help carry the team forward after some excellent work by his predecessor Dean during the same period.” Nkwe went on to thank Dean Elgar for his contributions as South Africa Test captain.

“At the same time, I would like to sincerely thank Dean for all his commitment to the role over the past two years. He helped the team navigate through some stormy waters and put them in a good position on the ICC World Test Championship table. Both men have made us proud with the work they have done within the wider Proteas group and look forward to the next step in what is a new era for the Proteas under the leadership of dual coaches Shukri Conrad and Rob Walter,” Nkwe expressed.

As a part of the restructuring, CSA will review the National Selection Committee procedures. It decided to release Victor Mpitsang from his role as National Convenor of Selectors. The interim structure will see the head coaches of the respective teams play a leading role in squad selections.

South Africa Test squad against West Indies Temba Bavuma (c), Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Dean Elgar, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Anrich Nortje, Keegan Petersen, Kagiso Rabada and Ryan Rickelton.